Explosive bomb.



H. A. THACKER.

EXPLOSIVE BOMB.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-5.1911.

Patented June 18, 1918.

HARVEY A. THACKER, 0F LEAVENWORTH, SAS.

nxrnosrvn no'MB.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 18, 1918.

Application filed January 5, 1917. Serial No. 140,700.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, HARVEY A. Tnnoxnn, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of Leavenworth and county of Leavenworth, State ofKansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ExplosiveBombs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to explosives, and more particularly to bombs andother devices of this class which are designed for and adapted to becarried by aeroplanes, dirigibles, and the like, and released anddropped at a desired point to detonate or explode upon reaching theground.

The objects of my improvement are to produce an article of thischaracter possessing to high degree the element of safety, and thatcannot ordinarily he accidentally set ofi' or exploded, and which at thesame time is adapted to be detonated upon contact, to make provision forpro-determined or time firing independently of the contact detonatingmechanism, and to so form and construct the device that it will besimple, inexpensive, and durable in structure, and positive, reliable,and eficient in action and operation.

To accomplish these purposes, 1 construct my improved device with aplurality of parts which are detachably fastened together, and which,when assembled, form a hollow container having a main or principalinterior chamber for holding a high explosive, such as gun cotton or thelike a highly inflammable material, a gas, liquid or semi-liquid,granulated or solid material possessin certain desired and requiredproperties an qualities, and a smaller supplementary chamber for holdinga detonating or exploding charge of black powder or similar material.

The means or mechanism by which I carry out the above and other ob ects'Wlll be hereinafter set forth in the following description, andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, in which embcdimeuts or adaptations of myinvention are illustrated.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a central vertical section throu h a bombor containerconstructedin accor ance with my improvement on line l--1 ofFi 2, and showing the interior construction, t e main and supplementarycompartments, and also illustrating the exterior safety mechanism andthe gulding mechanism in side elevation.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through a bomb or container constructedin accordance with my invention, taken on line 2-2,

invention and illustrating another form or type of safety mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a detail section taken on line 6-8 of Fig. 1.

In referring to the accompanying drawings in detail, in whichembodiments or adaptations of my improved bomb or container are shown,like numerals indicate corresponding parts. While my improved explosivebomb is chiefly designed to be carried by and dropped from aeroplanes,it may, with slight alterations in construction, form and size, beutilized as a hand grenade, and for a number of other purposes. Theshell of the bomb or container consists of an intermediate cylindricalportion, 1, a concavo-convex top cap, 2, and a lower end piece, 3, ofslightly rounded hollow conical form.

These three portions are all detachably secured or otherwise fastenedtogether to form an inclosed' hollow chamber, in which a charge of highexplosive, such as gun cotton, a gas, an inflammable material or otherdesired or required material may be placed. As shown in Fig. l, theopposite ends of the cylindrical portion, 1, are externally screwthreaded and both the top cap and lower end piece are provided withcorresponding screw threads so that they may be screwed upon said endsin assembling the container. A smaller supplementary container or box,4, is removably fitted within the cylindrical portion, 1., atapproximately the middle thereof, being preferably secured in place by aseries of screws, 5. I prefer to form or construct this inner box asshown in Fig. 1, so that it will fit snugly within the cylindrical po'rt'ion. Within the box, l-place a support. or spider, 6, which has aseries of arms that are secured by bolts, 7', to the under surface ofthe top of the 'box. The middle portion of the support, 6, dependswithinthe box and carries an adjustable fir- 111g pin, which is in partscrew threaded f and fitted within a screw threaded vertical opening 'inthe support. The firing pin is locked .1n its adjusted position by meansof a lock nut,i9. .Two tubes, indicated .respec tively by the numerals10 and 11, depend downward and extend upward from the box,

4;, and, pass through center openings in the top cap, 2, and lower endpiece, 3. These tubes are screw threaded at their respective ends, andscrewed into openings in the box, .4, top c'ap,.2,ya nd end piece, 3,thereby serving to securely. fasten and lock the three parts of 'Qthe.bombor container together. These. two tubes alsoeach perform anotherfunctionthe lower tube, 10, being arranged to. provi e. a verticalpassageway n which the stem' or shank, 12, of a' detonating barisslidably fitted, said stein being keyed to the boxA in any suitablemanner, preferably. by akey -3l,.to. allow a sliding movement only.

- The upper en'dorhead of this bar is adapted to carry the explodin.cap, 13, and the lower end'is provide with an enlarged head, 14, andthe shock transmitting plate, 15,;whicln is. preferably of aconcavo-convex form. I preferably extend the lower end of the tube, 10,so that it will projectbeneath that upward .pressure .of theair againsttheir. lowerz;surfaces.,willrotate the propel1erin. a..direction tocause it to descend along.. the.l.screw threaded portion, 17 ,.andthils-zeleas'e {the detonating bar, unlocking safetymechanism andplacing said bar inxposittohto be driven upward 'to strike the -.-pin.andexplode the cap when the enla" head, 14:, and the plate, 15, come incontact-zwith the ground or other object. .Thekpropel-ler also serves torotatetthe'bomb itsel and thus aids. in maintaining. it in perpendicular.position as: it passes downward-through theatinosphere. The uppertub,.- 1-1Z,-:likewise forms a vertical passage :way,-;m'.which a-fuse,20 can be placed. In

Fig.4, Ihave illustrated theupper endof the fuse as projecting above thebonib with .preciableextent. Eronit that the Iexplosibn takes lace at,or directly above, the'surfaceof producing a highlydestructiveefiect;.--..

its end and its lower end extending within the smaller supplementary boxor container The-"smaller intermediate box is adapted to be filled withblack powder or other lesser explosive possessing sufficient power toexplode the shell and byitsconcuss'ion to set ofl the high explosive themain chamber or ignite the inflammable material therein.

A center -piece,..21-,-.is detachably fitted upon the upper end ofthe'upper tube,.11, and serves as. a supportiif block for the stem, 22,of adirecting ru der, 23. If de sired, a small balloon, 24, may be.attached by a cord, 25, to the uppereye, 26, formed in the bar, 22.,substantially shown in Fig. 1.- The center piece, 21, is provided with atop screw threaded socket, 27, in which the lowerend of the bar 22 isscrewed, as shown in Fig. 3,.and also a diagonally extending opening,--28, through which the fuse, 20, passes. In the modified form, shown inFig. .4.-,. .I provide a rubber ring or cushion, 29, which is fittedupon the lower projecting end of the detonating bar, 12, and is adaptedto .be compressed between a lower boss or enlargement, 15, .on said bar,and the .nut. 16, when the detonating bar is driven upward by contact'to explode the cap. This rubber ring orcushion, 29, thus formsa safetywhichwill ordinarily .prevent any accidental explosion of the bomb. Myimproved bomb is adapted .to be utilized for a number of purposes, asbefore stated, and may be made in a variety of shapes or forms. Its.principal advantages are that it can be transported and packed inknockdown formJif desired, and easily assembled by any ordinary workmanin a'short period of time. This materially lessens, it it does notaltogether prevent any danger of premature explosions and also enables abomb I to. be. filled with aivariety of different material'sl Owingtothe large areaor surface of the contactplate; 1-5, the: bomb isadaptedto be..exploded immediately iipon contact.

and before .it enters. the L fiounglifi) any; ai' 's it* inot .'Asillustrate 1 and; heretofore describid, my improved device-consists of:the bomb proper, which is constructed so thatit be "readily takendown-0n assembled, safety e rgroiind, .-thereby{ mechanism located atits lower extremity,

and a and'guidinglmeans. located at and proj ectingfabove itsirpperextremity.

The directing and guiding means serves to--.

maintain the equilibrium ofthe detice."in;.its descent, holding thehombin: 'erpendic ilar posltlon mits passage throng .the'atmosphere and inreadiness to. be idetonated' the.

instant-- its lower extremity" an obsti-nction onthegroun'd.

The concavo-convex plate, 15, presents sufiicient transverse area todrive the detonating bar upward upon contact with the surface of theWater, should the bomb drop upon the same, and explode the device.

It will thus be noted that should one of my improved bombs be releasedfrom an overhead aeroplane, to descend on one side of, but in theimmediate vicinity of, a ship, it will explode upon contact with the surface of the water and probably damage and in some cases possibly sinkthe ship. My improved device, it will thus be seen, is equally adaptedfor both land or water.

While I havedescribed in the foregoing specification adaptations orembodiments of my invention, it should be understood that the structuralparts thereof may be varied, changed, modified or altered or one or moremay be omitted or dispensed with without departing from the spirit of myinvention as fairly defined in the following claims, or

as may be imparted thereto by invoking the doctrine of equivalents.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis 1. In a device of the class described, a main container composed of aplurality of separable portions, a smaller supplementary containerremovably fitted within the main container, a time fuse protrudingthrough the top of the main container, a detonating bar dependingbeneath the main container, means for locking said detonating bar and awind operated ropeller adapted to release the detonating ar.

2. A device of the class described compris ing an intermediatecylindrical portion, a concave-convex top cap detachably secured on theupper extremity of the cylindrical portion, a hollow conical end portiondetachably fastened on the lower end of the cylindrical portion, anintermediate box fitted within the cylindrical portions, two tubesextending in opposite directions from the box and secured respectivelyat their outer ends to the top cap and end portion, a time fuse fittingthrough one of said tubes, 2. detonating bar extending through the othertube, and a wind operated safety device at the lower end of thedetonating bar.

3. A device of the class described comprising an intermediatecylindrical portion, a concavo-convex top cap detachably secured on theupper extremity of the cylindrical portion, a hollow conical end portiondetachably fastened on the lower end of the cylindrical portion, anintermediate box fitted within the cylindrical portions, two tubesextending in opposite directions from the box and secured respectivelyat their outer ends to the top cap and end portion, a time fuse fittingthrough one of said tubes, a detonating bar extending through the othertube,

a safety mechanism on the lower end of the detonating bar, and abalancing and directing mechanism extending above the top cap.

4. A device of the class described comprising an intermediatecylindrical portion, a concavo-convex top cap detachably secured on theupper extremity of the cylindrical portion, a hollow conical end portiondetachably fastened on the lower end of the cylindrical portion, anintermediate box fitted withinthe cylindrical portions, two tubesextending in opposite directions from the box and secured respectivelyat their outer ends to the top cap and end portion, a time fuse fittingthrough one of said tubes, a detonating bar extending through the othertube,'the lower end of the detonating bar being enlarged and providedwith a shock receiving plate,.a safety mechanism on the lower end of thedetonating bar above the enlarged end and balancing mechanism arrangedabove the to crimp.

HAR\ E A. THAOKER. Witnesses:

JOHN T. Baum,

Annx. A. RUssELL.

